Criminal Affair
by Advil
Summary: Brady has reached a decision in his life. When he realizes he can't forget the past he decides the present is much too hard.
1. Default Chapter

A tear streaked down his face, a hot angry tear. He swiped at his rough skin fiercely. "Suck it up, pussy!" He told himself. It had been years, so why the fuck was he crying? Because it still hurt, dumb-ass. You'll never forget about her. You'll never be able to forget what you did to her, not now, not ever, Brady's inner voice told him, as he raised the pistol to his temple. He took another fast swig of the amber liquid, fisted in his palm. It was the only thing that had been getting him through life to this point. It was his only friend. His finger trembled against the cool metal trigger of the gun. The thoughts and images cascaded through his mind, lingering in deep places he tried to forget but never succeeded. 

"Fuck her!" He screamed down at the racing cars. "Fuck her and fuck him!" He yelled more violently, more evil than he at one time thought capable. She did this to him. She fucked him up so bad, he saw no end. Only one thing would help and that one thing was a solid metal bullet rushing through his brain at speeds unknown to him. Quick and easy. All he wanted was to end it all. He had suffered, tortured himself until he was at the brink and then back again. But now, there was only one solution, one logical choice. 

In death, he hoped to forget her, but even he knew that wasn't possible. Every night he could still see her full, crimson lips speaking to him in foreign tongues, touch her soft, flowing hair, taste her creamy skin. There was no relief to the ache in his heart. The pills, the hard drugs, the alcohol, none of it helped. Women. What fucking women? There would be no one but her. Even the thought of

touching another made him physically ill. Imagining touching, needing, being inside, apart of another female was revolting. There was only one lady for him. One he could never have again.. Chloe.

Her name on his lips was like a curse, he could never absolve. She was the demon that woke him in the middle of the night, sweating and barely able to breathe. She was the beauty that corrupted his every waking hour, so that no matter what he did, she was still the image his mind blurred to when he tried to forget. But no more.

How do you fight with someone who no longer exists? How can you make a woman love you, when she pines for your dead uncle? How do you make things right again? The answer. You can't. Brady had stopped trying. Chloe was resigned to loving Philip and hating him for the rest of their lives.

If only that night had never happened.

TBC

  
  


please review, so I know whether to continue or not


	2. 2

  
  
  
  


It was that night years ago, that their lives had changed forever. He could still see it so clearly in his mind, even high and drunk, the sounds and sights could be traced. She was never his, not really. But every time she touched him, he touched her, he imagined it was so. The feel of her soft tongue, gliding against his, still made him shiver on the hottest day.

Married. The word had hurt him more than a thousand stabs to his chest. Here she was, his Chloe, claimed to another man. Not just anyone either, but a dangerous, unforgiving man, his uncle. Philip was one of the coldest, self-centered man he knew, and the fact that Chloe had taken him to be her husband, killed him. He knew, at first it was because he had left. She couldn't wait for him, and he knew she shouldn't have had to. But he was gone and stupid, and thought she would always be there.

It was that night. The night the storm raged through Salem, so violent and destructive, it ruined lives.

**********************************************************

His body lay atop of her, slick with sweat and rain. The thunder cracked in the overcast sky. A chilling and somewhat frightening sound when one was alone, but in the arms of a lover, it seemed warm, almost comforting. She was alone, as she was every Friday, while Philip played poker with 'the guys'. God only knows what he was really doing. Chloe was not the only unfaithful person in a marriage built on lies and mistrust. Chloe later confessed Brady's own grandfather had backed the marriage, forced Chloe into it for the good and well-being of his son. Philip was to take over the business and he needed a sweet dependable wife on his arm, Chloe was the dutiful wife Victor had chosen.

Brady touched Chloe's sensitive skin, over and over as her face blushed with heat, that only Brady could radiate within her. He slipped his hand under her shirt, cupping her full breast in his palm, testing her weight, before his thumb greedily danced over her pert nipple. He licked his lips unconsciously before he dragged his tongue along her collar, dipping into the hollow of her throat. "I need you," he growled, unbuttoning her pants, eager to touch her, all of her.

"Brady, we shouldn't be doing this. I'm married now." She shuttered and arched her hips to meet his roaming hands.

Brady sat up, cursing himself for losing control and letting things go so far. "I know." He said, gently, cupping her cheek in his masculine hands. "But that doesn't mean I don't still love you." He whispered softly kissing her neck, in the tender spot just below her ear, as he had when they were still together. "Tell me you'll leave him. Tell me you don't really love him." Brady pleaded with her, not even trying to hide the desperation in his tone. 

"I can't." She whispered, trying to move away from his touch, but he held her, cradling her to him.

"Tell me." He whispered so gently, that his voice cracked, and Chloe could feel the wet tear fall onto her bosom. 

Chloe took in a deep punishing breath. "God, Brady I do love you, but I can't do this, not anymore."

"Just one last time." He begged. "Just for tonight, we can pretend we are married and this is our house. There is no Philip and no wedding bands." He gently eased the gold and diamonds from her sleek fingers and placed them on the table beside the bed. "Just for tonight, you can be mine."

"And you, you are mine." Chloe whispered, kissing his cheek.

"I'm always yours." He told her, staring into her eyes as only he could. 

She was lost and so was he. As his mouth crashed against her, soft and sensual, savouring the sensations. He took her hands in his, lifting them over her head as he made love to her, like a gentle summer storm; hot, electric, beautiful. He knew it would be the last time, somehow after all the times she had said it before, this time he knew it was for real. So he touched her so he would remember every fine detail, every secret, she had to offer. They didn't see the shadow on the wall, the one that watched and ran out of the house, too drunk to drive but doing so anyway. They heard the door slam, heard the tire screech.

Spooned in Brady's arms Chloe pulled the expensive sheets around her body and turned to Brady with an accusing tone.

"How could you let me do this Brady? You know how out of control he gets when he drinks. We have to find him."

******************************* 

TBC


	3. 3

They did find him, a pile of rubble, crashed, blinded by debris and litter from the storm.

  
  


Now he cursed himself, for having such exaggerated notions of love. He was nothing to her, he realized later. Just a good fuck, she couldn't part with. Just a reason to get away from her abusive alcoholic husband and menacing father-in-law.

  
  


He remembered her face, her tears. They were real, as they watched together as Philip was pulled out of his car. Not sleeping, not resting, dead.

He was dead and he would never forget the words Chloe had said to him. Words that haunted him to this day.

Now he knew even then he couldn't live near her. If he saw her on the street, even then he would want her. Even though a man had died because he wanted her so bad, he didn't care, and that was the main reason he left.

At one point he thought it was love. But how could someone love him, when he let her betray her husband and the very vows that bound them together.

If only he has resisted her, been able to stop himself from touching her, but that was impossible. Her scent, was like a field of orchids that he could drown in. The purely intoxicating way she smelled was enough to make him a man of uncontrollable desires.

But that day in the rain, his head was clear, his heart ached and yet he still could smell her over the wet drops that covered them.

*************************************

"This is your fault! I hate you! I NEVER want to see you again!"

Brady stood there and took it. He heard her words, felt her fists pound heavily on his chest and heard her cries. She was right, it was his fault. He wanted nothing and no one to have her and especially not Philip. He hated himself, because a part of him, deep inside was glad Philip was dead. Apart of him, wished it had been sooner. He knew then, that he had to leave. He had caused too much trouble already. But he took her in his arms for what he knew was to be the last time, and rocked her until her sobs stopped and she could stand on her own. He left the next day. He couldn't talk to her, not when he knew he would only hurt her more. He would never be able to hide the fact that he hated Philip, for everything he had and took for granted.

***************************************

And so he stood, on top of a tall building, gun pointed to his skull and her words still fresh in his mind as if it was yesterday and not a year ago. Why he came back, he didn't know. But it had everything to do with her.

Maybe he needed to see her one last time, maybe he wanted to punish himself some more before he left this earth, he couldn't say.

The night was cloudy and raining hard with thunder and hard gust of winds as it had been that night. He teetered, unsteady on his feet as a bolt of electricity lit the sky. Under the cool sheets of Chloe's fancy bed, in the guess room, it was bliss, so long ago. He could never bring himself to actually go into the room Philip and Chloe shared as a couple. He knew if he did, he could never take her, touch her, taste her like he needed to. He was desperate when he was with her, needing her so bad, it hurt deep within his chest. And he knew somehow she had needed him too. Or that had been what he thought, until she uttered those words that broke him.

He became like a dog when he left; aggressive, disobedient, vicious. He wanted no one to know him. 

He didn't deserve affection or human touch, even though he craved it. He escaped with drugs and booze, but he could never forget, that horrified look on his beloved diva's face when they pulled her dead husband from the wreckage. There was no forgiveness in her eyes.

Now, high above the rooftops of Salem's finest, he watched the swirling lights and sirens below. He was a fool. A fucking fool. Even now, he still loved her.

The scratching of dirt under heels summoned him out of his thoughts, he knew those steps all too well and he turned to meet her teary face. The face that haunted his dreams and crushed his future stared at him, a little unsure of herself.

An umbrella in hand, she made her way to the liquored Brady. 

"I heard you were back." Chloe tried, shakily.

"Not for long." He told her harshly, examining her with his eyes.

"Where did you go?" She asked above the hard slapping of the rain on the wet rooftop. 

"Everywhere." Brady said, his tone returning to normal, as he watched the fear flicker in her eyes. She did not posses the movements, mannerisms of someone who hated him. "I'm sorry." He whispered, almost unable to get out the words.

"Sorry? Sorry for what?" 

"I couldn't stop. I tried Chloe. I tried so hard, but no matter where I went, how far away I was, I couldn't stop loving you. I know that's not what you want to hear, I know I destroyed your life but 

I won't anymore."

"Please Brady. Please...don't do this. I never wanted this. I was angry, confused, I lashed out and you were there to take it. I never meant those things. Never in my life could I hate you. Please Brady....please." Chloe whispered, the tears already streaking her face as she inched toward him, taking the gun from his trembling hands.

"I never loved him." She told him softly, as she helped him off the ledge.

  
  


TBC


	4. 4

  
  


The police immediately surrounded Brady, handcuffing him and briskly ushering him down the stairwell, pushing Chloe aside in haste. 

Chloe crumbled to the stoned floor, seeing what a broken man Brady had become. 

Brady was held for a few days for evaluation and then released. Those words burned in his brain the entire time, 'I never loved him', but it couldn't have been real. In that short time, he came to believe that Chloe might have lied just to help the police, to talk him down. But as he left the precinct, his eyes groggy, he spotted her and he could feel the heat in his cheeks.

"Chloe!?" He questioned, running his fingers over her face to make sure she was real.

"I've looked for you, this entire year. So much has happened. You've missed so much."

Chloe took him by the hand and lead him away, strapping him into her car and bringing him to a quaint home. "This is where I live." She announced shyly as she stopped the car in front of the double garage. 

"It's nice." Brady told her, still a little unsure of himself.

Chloe took his hand and led him to the door, through the entrance and up a wide set of stairs, to an upstairs bedroom. She cracked the door and listened to the silent sounds of one at rest. She continued to lead Brady into the room, past the tiny change table and beside the crib. "Brady..." Chloe started but didn't have to finish, not when she looked at Brady's face to see that he saw the tiny little boy, asleep. A golden mane of blonde hair and he was sure under those thick eyelashes were intense blue eyes.

Brady's eyes welled with unshed tears and he let them fall, when he realized what he had almost lost a few days ago. Chloe picked up the small child in her arms and placed him into Brady's strong hands. 

"Chloe..." Brady breathed airily. 

"I could never hate you, not after you gave me him." She told him, bending down to gently kiss her sweet boy's forehead.

"What's his name?" Brady asked, sweeping the tiny hairs against his sons ear away. 

"Brady Devon Black."

Brady looked up, still aware of the salty tears in his eyes. "You gave him my name!?"

"Of course. When you left....I didn't know...I wasn't sure you would ever come back and when I found out I was pregnant, I knew it could only be yours."

"How? How did you know?" Brady asked, shyly.

"I knew it in my heart. Only in love could we create something, so precious, so right. I loved you then Brady. Even though I said those things to you. Those horrible things. I didn't meant it, not one word. But your grandfather, he knew. I never loved Philip and the truth was that night I had to blame someone because I hated myself for what I had done to you and to Philip. The real truth is that when they pulled out his body, I found myself hoping he was dead and when he was, I was so ashamed, so very ashamed. I know forgiveness is asking a lot. But my son needs a father and I need you."

Brady set their infant son down in his crib and took Chloe's hands in his. "I'm not the man I was." He told her, keeping his eyes downcast. "A lot has happened, but I need you and I want to be there for ...our son, if you'll let me. I'm not proud of the things I've done, god knows I want things back to the way they were, but that's impossible. So how's about we start over? No blaming, no lying, no cheating."

"I'd like that more than anything." Chloe told him through misted eyes. She cupped his cheek in her slender hand and stood on her tippy toes, bringing him closer to her. He closed his eyes, feeling her warm breath on his skin and his body shook at the overflow of sensation. He leaned down and gently swept his lips against hers gracefully, almost shyly, unlike the confident passionate kisses formerly, but somehow it seemed so right, so touching Chloe felt the tears slip down her cheek. His lips moved over hers unhurried, touching her so softly as if she would break. It was the first kiss either had shared in a year, with each other or anyone else, and somehow they knew that kiss would always be remembered as the beginning of forever. 

THE END


End file.
